WW2 ROYAL MARINE LONG SERVICE MEDAL GROUP E C NEWMAN NEW ZEALAND NAVAL SERVICE

Group of 6 to Marine Newman, who enlisted at the age of 14 as a Boy Bugler but was discharged shortly after. Undeterred, he rejoined when he was 18 and served during WW2 with H.M.S. Leander (NZ Division RN WW2) when she was sunk by the Italian armed merchantman Ramb I.

Group includes 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Naval General Service Medal (1915), clasp PALESTINE 1936-1939, Defence & War Medals, Naval Long Service & Good Conduct medal (KG.VI). NGSM & LSGC both impressed named CH.23148 E.C.NEWMAN. MNE. R.M. Court mounted as worn, comes with copied service papers & basic research.

Edward Charles Newman was born on the 26/12/1904 in Kentish Town London. He enlisted into the Royal Marines on the 15/1/1919 in London as a Private Bugler (Boy) being 14 years old with the regimental number of 22527. He was discharged on the 26/8/1919 as ‘not likely to become and effective Bugler.’ He re-enlisted on the 24/10/1922 to the R.M and was given the new number 23148, giving his occupation as ‘store keeper’.

He served: Depot, Chatham Division, H.M.S. Cumberland (County-class heavy cruiser, China Station.) H.M.S. Vindictive (Hawkins-class heavy cruiser), H.M.S. Cleopatra (C-class light cruiser), H.M.S. Diomede (Danae-class cruiser serving with the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy in NZ) 27/8/1930 – 16/10/1933, H.M.S Valiant (One of five Queen Elizabeth-class battleships) 31/7/35 – 4/2/1937 awarded NGSM clasp Palestine, H.M.S. Leander (Light Cruiser) 31/3/1937 – 9/2/1942, H.M.S. Philomel (built 1890, Pearl-class cruiser) 10/2/1942 - 1/3/1946 & discharged.

In August 1937 HMS Leander, on a journey from Europe to New Zealand, carried out an aerial survey of Henderson, Oeno and Ducie, and on each island a British flag was planted and an inscription was nailed up proclaiming: "This island belongs to H.B.M. King George VI." In 1941 the New Zealand Division became the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and she was commissioned as HMNZS Leander in September 1941.

In World War II, Leander served initially in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. 27 February 1941, she sank the Italian armed merchantman Ramb I near the Maldives, rescuing 113 of her crew and taking slight damage. On 23 March 1941, Leander intercepted and captured the Vichy French merchant Charles L.D. in the Indian Ocean between Mauritius and Madagascar. On 14 April, Leander deployed for support of military operations in Persian Gulf and, on 18 April, joined the aircraft carrier Hermes and the light cruiser Emerald. On 22 April, Leander was released from support duties in the Persian Gulf and took part in search for German raider Pinguin south of the Maldives.

In June 1941, Leander was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet and was active against the Vichy French during the Syria-Lebanon Campaign. After serving in the Mediterranean, Leander returned to the Pacific Ocean in September 1941.

HMS Philomel (1890 Pearl-class cruiser). In 1921 she was transferred to the Devonport Naval Base in Auckland for service as a training ship, which was decommissioned and sold for scrap in 1947.

This is the first medal group we have come across that involved a Royal Marine, being posted to serve with the New Zealand forces.